Downtown Erie: Food Desert Dahlkemper's Proposed $26M Public Safety System Tom Green Q&A
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Erie’s only independent source for news and culture BEN November 12-25 / Vol. 4, No. 23 / ErieReader.com SOLLEE The Popular Genre-bending Cellist and Composer Brings His Distinct Brand of Indie Folk to Erie Downtown Erie: Food Desert Dahlkemper's Proposed $26M Public Safety System Tom Green Q&A The Tribe | Chickstock | Venus in Fur | Kublai Khan IS TODAY THE DAY YOU IGNITE YOUR FUTURE? If you have the spark, we have the programs to guide you toward a rewarding career. FORTIS offers programs in the following areas: Nursing • Medical/Dental • Business I.T. • Skilled Trades • Cosmetology CALL 1.800.555.7600 TEXT “IGNITE” TO 367847 FORTIS.EDU IGNITE YOUR FUTURE FORTIS INSTITUTE 5757 WEST 26TH STREET, ERIE, PA 16506 Financial Aid Available for those who qualify. Career Placement Assistance for All Graduates. For consumer information, visit Fortis.edu. 2 | Erie Reader | ErieReader.com November 12, 2014 CONTENT — NOVEMBER 12, 2014 From the Editors reate a network, set your portation and a convincing reason vision, and find yourto visit and stay in the area. In short, Cgame-changer. Denver can market itself as two im- Features Those were three things Bruce Katz portant Cs: Convenient and cool — told a packed house at the Jefferson which, according to Katz, is what 10 — Ben Sollee Educational Society Thursday, Nov. keeps Denver from being more than The Popular Genre-bending Cellist and 6 during his Global Summit VI pre- a fly-over city with people en route to sentation: “The Metropolitan Revo- better, brighter, bolder places. Composer Brings His Distinct Brand of Indie Folk lution — The Future of Erie?” A third C to add to the mix in the to Erie He also stressed the importance mile-high city is collaboration. of collaboration, told the audience Rather than continually competing 23 — Pro Wrestling that health, prosperity, and compet- against each other, creating rifts Editors-in-Chief: itiveness will be determined at the within their communities, munic- Brian Graham & Adam Welsh Alive and Well in Erie, Pa. city and metropolitan level, and that ipalities agree to work together for Managing Editor: success in the 21st century lies in the a common good and clear vision of Ben Speggen hands of cities, not governments. growth, which cultivates develop- Contributing Editor: The Vice President of The Brook- ment and prosperity instead of stag- Rebecca Styn ings Institution and Founding Direc- nation and atrophy. Editor -at-Large: News & Opinion tor of the non-partisan think tank’s But one doesn’t have to look as far Cory Vaillancourt Metropolitan Policy Program all but as Denver to have hope for Erie. Katz Contributors: held a mirror up to the audience and lauded Buffalo’s thoughtful work Alex Bieler 4 — Street Corner Soapbox asked those in attendance to take a with its health-care system that Mary Birdsong The Truth Behind the GOP’s Midterm Elections Pen Ealain long, hard look to understand the resulted in thousands of new jobs Rick Filippi Sweep community’s identity as we wal- within the city. And young people, Eric Kisner low in the midst of a post-industrial talented people, people thoughtful James R. LeCorchick 5 — The Way I See It identity crisis. Manufacturing, he about their locales are more inclined John Lindvay said, can aid both blight and flight. to call Buffalo home because of the Lili Morton Dahlkemper’s Proposed $26M Public Safety But it doesn’t have to be the manu- developing arts and culture scene. Dan Schank System facturing of yesteryear; rather, it can If we go back to the beginning, Jess Scutella Tommy Shannon be new and fresh and dynamic. Man- there’s still the task of creating a Ryan Smith 6 — Just Toyin’ Witcha ufacturing, after all, is what we know network, setting a vision, and find- Jay Stevens (as a possibility, think: 3D printing). ing a game-changer. Which is risky Rebecca Styn The End of Cor-bott Skeptical? Examine Northeast business, really. But the greatest risk, Bryan Toy Ohio. Katz — very much a boots- Katz warned in the Q&A following Cory Vaillancourt 6 — News of the Weird by Chuck on-the-ground kind of guy who vis- the presentation when asked to ad- Jim Wertz Shepherd its cities to study them relentlessly dress Erie’s risk-adverse nature, is Publisher’s Assistant: — did, and he points to the region’s taking no risk at all. Jessica Courter 7 — Taking It to the Streets ability to still make as its ability to Taking risks isn’t the same as gam- Cover Design: Bike Safety in Erie thrive. They, simply put, have creat- bling. Rather than leaving destiny Leah Yungwirth ed a network, set their vision, found to chance, to wish and dream that Photographers: their game-changer, and they know someone will do something, taking Ryan Smith 8 — Considering The City what they’re good at. Which is what calculated risks can propel Erie for- Brad Triana is leading to Katz’s “metropolitan ward. Soon, presentations will be Designer: Desperately Seeking Supermarket revolutions,” where cities become fo- made to make public “key recom- Leah Yungwirth cal points by taking control of their mendations” for Erie that may be Design Intern own destinies, since as he warned, some of those calculated risks. That Liz Venuto 26— ER Sports “no one is coming to save you.” If you is, Destination Erie: A Regional Vi- Writing Interns: need proof, you needn’t look further sion is hosting six community pre- Michael Iverson than Detroit. The city was left for sentations throughout the county Christopher Sexauer dead, and if it wasn't for a group of beginning Monday, Nov. 17 and con- millionaires and philanthropists, it cluding Thursday, Nov. 20. 1001 State St. Suite 901 most likely would be. If you’ve been keeping track of the Erie, Pa., 16501 Culture Yes, our industrial landscape may Destination Erie timeline, the plan is [email protected] be a shell of its former self — busi- nearing the finish line. Soon, what The Erie Reader is Erie’s only independent 14 — Calendar nesses leaving, shrinking, and shut- comes out of this plan may be the fu- source for news and culture. The Erie Reader ting doors isn’t new — but the infra- ture of Erie and the region. is a forum for ideas and discussion, and seeks to drive two-way communication with its 22 — Music Reviews structure is here. And yes, it’s rusty, It was refreshing to see some of the readers. At the Erie Reader, we endeavor to but perhaps it’s time to get out the leadership from Destination Erie highlight the best of Erie by providing in-depth, magazine-style journalism that cuts to the 24 — Tom Green white vinegar and get to work in in the crowd at Katz’s presentation, heart of the issues that matter to Erie. The Erie cleaning it up. hopefully taking copious notes and Reader is published every other week at The Corry Journal, 28 W. South St., Corry, Pa. 16407. Still Crazy After All These Years An easy — but important — first setting up interviews afterwards. The Erie Reader is distributed at over 250 high step is to emphasize, promote, and What would be even more refreshing foot-traffic locations in Pennsylvania from North East to Girard to Edinboro. In addition 25 — Geeked Out foster development with a reason would be to see at-capacity turnouts to appearing in print, Erie Reader adds new — aside from jobs — for people to at each of the community presenta- content daily at ErieReader.com as well social MU Professor wants to help pre-entrepreneurs media sites. All rights reserved. All content © choose to live where they do: Arts tions, to see citizens prepared with Flagship Multimedia, Inc, 1001 State St., Suite with Quickstarter and culture. That, Katz outlined, is research and informed questions, 901, Erie, Pa, 16501. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. The what Denver did to create a strong, to see collaboration, to witness net- opinions of our columnists and contributors vibrant urban core. Couple that with working, and to see the unfurling of are their own and do not always reflect 25 — Tech Bits that of the editorial board or organization. the FasTrack commuter train run- a set, clear vision. Direct inquiries to 814.314.9364 or contact@ Verizon Wireless Under Fire for Ad-Targeting ning throughout the region and you If we don’t, Erie may become noth- ErieReader.com. Program get a marriage between easy trans- ing more than a fly-over city. November 12, 2014 ErieReader.com | Erie Reader | 3 NEWS & OPINION Street Corner Soapbox The Truth Behind the GOP’s Midterm Elections Sweep By: Jay Stevens he American people went to the polls care costs. Pennsylvania for evidence of that, where on Nov. 4, and spoke with one voice Even on foreign policy, where Obama's Republicans won 13 of 18 Congressional Tagainst liberalism, against the Demo- leadership has at times seemed slow or House seats. That comes to 72 percent of cratic Party, and against the terrible, disas- muddled, the administration's actions the House districts in the state, a number trous polices of President Barack Obama. have been a success. We're out of Iraq. far out of line with the 55 percent of voters The Republican Party and its ideals and pol- We're drawing down in Afghanistan. And who opted for Republican House candi- icies have won an overwhelming mandate. Obama's non-intervention in Syria seems dates across the state. At least, that's what you'd think after lis- all the more justified given the rise of ISIS But the real reason for the 2014 results is tening to pundits and conservatives on Nov.